A Midwinter Night's Dream
by Willow D'Forest
Summary: Beging 1 year after A Midsummer Night's Dream, then 17 years later , this is the tale of Titania's only daughter, a child with a dark fate.
1. Prolouge

Robin Goodfellow was grumbling. The fancy clothes he was wearing didn't feel proper on him. He missed his loose fitting clothes with leather boot's, one of the many advantages of being a jester. Unfortunately being Oberon's favorite lackey, especially after showing just how powerful his glamor was with the whole head of an ass thing, ment that since Titania was now almost ready to give birth he was being named the third noble lord of the Seelie Court, ruling above all but the king, his queen, and their heir, he would be the child's guardian. He had tried to talk Oberon out of it, but to no prevail, he would lose his wild way's, kill the mischievous Puck, and settle down. Why he was the one being forced into that he didn't now. He worked his way down the hall, doing his best not to be noticed by the few dozen servants between him and the king. "All right, no point in waiting, better see what the trouble is now."

As he entered the high nobles area of the palace, only available to nobles of the fifth or higher, and a few select servants, he heard Oberons voice boom out, "LORD GOODFELLOW!"

_Oh dear what is it this time?_ "Yes my lord? What seems to be the problem?"

"You were summoned an hour ago. We must go over exactly what you are and are not to do as the heir's _rotetorp etats ea_," I groaned, "And yes, that means no tricks, and no angering Queen Mab...Or Titania."

"As my lord wishes. Might I be so forward as to ask why you called me here at MIDNIGHT!"

"Watch your voice Goodfellow. The Queen has gone into labor."

I couldn't believe my luck. The kid would be born in the middle of winter, an omen as bad as well...nothing. Summer born Winter, it was asking for hate if you were a commoner, if you're a nobel, let alone a royal, well I didn't want to think about it. "Wasn't her majesty due on Midsummer? That is the traditional time for all Summer nobel's, isn't it?"

"Don't pretend you don't know Goodfellow. You were old when my twenty times great grandfather was born. You are one of the first created by the Eldest."

I gulped there. Not somewhere I wanted to go. The "Eldest" was the second creature in all of existence, and one hundred years younger than the true eldest, First child of Nothing and Everything, First _thing_ in existence, first to die, and... well so much more, but still he was getting a little too close to who I really am, and secrets that are better left buried. That life is over. "My lord, why aren't you with the queen? Shouldn't you be with her in this... moment in history?"

"Would that I could. The women won't let any men in the birthing chamber's. Something about insensitive to the glamor of life... Alas I am made to wait like a peasant till this ordeal is over. What is that!"

As a cry echo's from the chambers we wait outside of, I glance at the clock. And gulp. Midnight exactly. Had it been noon, the people may have breathed a little easier, for all that it's a winter child, but no. A Midnight Child Born in Winter on, I had to think, oh dear, the Iron Days. A Summer heir born to serve Mab, but at the time the Shadow's were strongest, in between the day's of our doom. A curse to my people. I knew what I had to do. No matter the consequences to me, the child could not be allowed to live. I took a deep breath and followed Oberon as he burst through the door. I slowly enter the chamber, scared of what I will find, what I must do.

"A daughter, Goodfellow, a Summer Princess. Be joyous, _lord_. Even I will manage to forgive your entrance into the sacred chambers, for you must follow my husband sometimes" called the Queen of Summer, Titania. I looked up, surprised of the kindness in her voice and gasp. For sleeping in the queens arms was a child I remember well from the Prophecy of the Beginning. The Lone Queen.


	2. Chapter 1

17 years later

I laughed as I threw a handful of mud at Srof, a man of eighteen, who had just won the approval of the father of the girl he loved. Most all the village came to help build the fortunate fey's new home. We were working on the building of the walls, a dirty process to say the least. "Will, I will get you back for that," he called.

"I'd like to see you try, you love struck fool!"

I ducked a ball of mud that flew toward me, and winced as it hit Gyr, another boy working on the house, and the potter's son to boot. He yelled with rage and mud started flying everywhere. There were plenty of bonuses to having a Summer Builder, especially one who's glamor was directly earth, and hence mud. Everyone quickly started flinging mud around them to get back at whomever had just hit them with it. Soon it turned into an all out mud war. No one payed any attention ,even I who should have been paying attention, to the cloaked nobel who came riding up behind us. Only when he cleared his throat did any of us noticed him.

"Attention, children of Summer," he called, "His Royal Majesty, King Oberon comes here now, bow to the King!" I froze, of all my luck, everyone else fell into bow, but I did my best to slip into the background, to disappear before _he _got here and ruined all the time I had put in to getting everyone to trust me. I touched the rider's mind and thought, "_GOODFELLOW! You were supposed to keep the king busy in court today, I told you I was coming to the village."_

"_Sory Will," _he thought back, "_I did my best, but he guessed you'd be here. Stop calling the shadows to you, you'll just frighten these peasants more."_

"_These _peasants _are my friends Little Bird. I worked for hours to keep the truth from them, and now you've ruined it all!"_

I watched as a tall and majestic man rode in on a stallion that was glowing gold. _Show off, _I thought. He couldn't keep from proving he was the best. This would be interesting.

"Line up. NOW!" the man on the horse yelled. "Where is that insolent girl. Come forward and do not try me, I know you are here." All the villager's looked confused, though none seemed to notice my wince. I would've gone without all the theatrics, but no, he had to make sure no one would ever trust me again. Ever. "Your Majesty," it was Srof who spoke, "I'm afraid I don't know what you want. I beg your forgiveness for the mess, but building a house can be quite mess..."

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I CARE," he screamed, "I am your king, and I will have that girl now!"

"M-M-My fiance, your majesty?"

I sighed, better get this over with. "No. He means me," Everyone turned to stare as I strode forward and lifted my galmor. "Hello father."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

All the villagers froze realising that the girl who had just been flinging mud at them, who had been helping them build, yelling and cursing along with them, was in fact none other than the princess. I sighed. I knew this would happen, "Rise, no need to remain in a bow," I said as gently as possible. My father glared at me as they shakely rose. I put my hand on my hip and said, "What do you want, you normally would just send a dozen guards to kidnap me away, but today you came yourself. Why?"

Remember to whom you speak child," he snapped, the common people thankfully forgotten, "I am still your king, but my reasons are nothing I will discuss in front of this... dirt. Come. Now."

I looked out to the people and winced. All of them were looking at me in horror. Of course they would be, I was cursed, the Un-Summer princess. Hatted by the people for no other reason than when I was born. I sighed, no point in staying now they knew who I was, "As you wish father." I took one last look around,and silently mourned the loss of the people who I else likes me well enough, till they find out who I am, that or they only see my father's daughter, not my own person. So, sadly I mounted the horse my father had brought me and followed him.

had come to almost call friends. Almost. Unfortunately, Puck can be my only friend. Everyone "How dare you leave the palace unattended you insolent girl!" my father screamed as soon as we were away from the village. "Four hours we spent looking for you, even Goodfellow could not find you. Today of all day's you had to disappear, we need to get you back. The servants will help you clean up and then you need to help your mother prepare."

"Why," I asked, "You and Mama, excuse me _Mother_, can handle any number of nobles without me, and Elysium isn't for a month. I have no obligations for at _least _a fortnight as I see it."

"Would that it were so. Something's happened in the forest, a force stirring so great it has even Mab scared. Their coming. We must be ready for the Unseelie Court today."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"What! Mab never show's up with this little announcement! Why does she expect us to let her in now! We need to prep..."  
"Quiet. Wait till we are in our private sector of the palace before discussing this," Father snapped as we reached the main gates of the palace, "and we must glamor your clothes, I would rather not see you murdered by your mother for wearing that... rubbish." I sighed yet again, I have been sighing a lot today haven't I, as father waved his hand with a grand flourish,and a huge poofy gown fell across my shoulders, it was gold and pink and white with lots of frilly lace. I glared at it and him, before snapping my fingers and turning it into a long loose fitting gown of green and silver.

"It was pink," I said to his angered expression.

He was about to snap back when a shrill voice rang out from above us, "Took you long enough, a messenger arrived, we have one hour till _she _arrives, and dear what in sanity's name are you wearing?" I looked up to see a woman in a gown very similar to the one my father had tried to put me in standing above us on the terrace. Her long fine hair looked exactly like mine, as did her angular cheekbones, lips, nose, body, and every other part of her, except her eyes and attitude. I was glad that I had my eyes for my own at least, even if I was her, I was Titania, physically anyway's. A grimace hit my lips along with a small flick of my hand as she yelled down, no excuse me, sang, a queen _never_ yells, "Oberon, we have an hour and none of us but for you know why she's coming and," a crashing noise came from within the palace, "You insolent thing that had better be fixed soon or" she drifted off. "Up now you three."

I turned almost surprised to see Puck there, he was uncharacteristically quiet, as Papa said, "It was both of you wasn't it, what did you do th the poor servants?"

Puck and I glanced at each other, "_What did you do?"_ I prompted, "_I hit a quick leg grab."_

"_Visions."_

"_Of what?"_

A smile crossed his lips, "_Do you really want to know princessa? Daddy might think you're an accomplice this time. I could have easily managed both spells."_

"_Crow lions? Or Grim calling in a favor, that would be worse I think."_

"Leg grabs and visions, My Lord King," was Puck's reply.

"Ah, well let's get in and stop the fiasco, you should both be there to hear this." The grim expression on his face told me that, why ever Mab was coming was bad. Really bad.

"Time to call in favours, dad, or..."

"Worse," he looked at Goodfellow for some reason, like he should understand, "they are stirring."

Goodfellow turned pale white, "Surely not, they haven't been seen since..."

My father nodded, "The Shadow Court rises again."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I looked between my father and Goodfellow, "What in the world is the Shadow Court," I looked between the two men's white faces completely confused, " and why do you both look so scared?"

I was expecting Goodfellow, or even father, to snap back, or at least look a angry at that, but neither acted if being scared was anything to be ashamed of, completely unlike the both of them. All of a sudden Robin got a startled look, something like when someone has a sudden terrifying thought. "_You must not tell your father about your shadow powers. I haven't told him, and if he found out it would be...bad. What you can do is a very distinctive Shadow Court power and you already are an anomaly with your multiple glamors, Shadow glamor would be, even for a princess, an instant order for execution. Do you Understand me?" _he thought at me.

" _Gods Goodfellow your thick. You honestly think it crossed my mind to tell dad that I controll the shadows as he does the summer? Even before you mentioned the Shadow Court, whatever that is, I wouldn't have. Now shut up!" _I continued out loud as we stepped into the private part of the palace, for family, other royalty, and Puck only, Puck because no one had figured out a spell that would keep him out yet, "Now that we're all safe in the private quarters, What in the Never is the Shadow Court?"

Mother, Father, and Puck looked at each other, it was Father was spoke first, "I suppose we must tell you otherwise Mab will think we have been slacking on your education. Where to start, where to start. I suppose it starts with a young Light Fairy called Bellatrix.

Bellatrix was from the Light Court, one of the four great Courts of the old times, and she was powerful and prideful, a dangerous combination. I said four great Courts you noticed I am sure, there was the Summer and The Winter, but also Shadow and the Light Courts as well. The Light Court was a joyous court ,who was always interfering with everyone else, whose power laid in the complete control of light, even greater than ours over nature. The Shadow Court on the other hand was a secretive people, who never interfered with anyone, and almost never used their powers in front of outsiders. Young Bellatrix had had a... disagreement with the prince of the Shadow Court. It ended in a duel in which all courts had to take sides. All the Courts, most of which, such as the Air and Water Courts, are gone now, mostly because of the Shadow War. In the duel Bellatrix wasn't wounded at all, but not before killing the Prince. The Shadow Court was already upset by everyone siding with Light and decided that Bellatrix had cheated. When they demanded her life, the Light Court refused, they already had wedding preparations for her and the Light Prince. There had been whispers going through Concordia, the great city where all courts lived in harmony, that their Court was dying, that there was little over 300 people left, and, since no one liked them, they always made everyone uneasy, appearing out of the shadows, well, rumors circulated and hate built until war broke out. Millions died. No one could get an advantage, we had to live during the night and that weakened the Light Fey, a lot. Getting within a foot of the shadows at any time wasn't good. It took an army to subdue one of them. It was a horrible battle, and entier Courts disappeared. Finally, we gave up and retreated, though only after much argument between Mab and I, which caused the separation of the Courts. We came here to Arcadia and Mab went to Tir Na Nog. The Shadow Court kept Concordia, renaming it Nocte Contritio, and drew the shadows there. One of the last acts of what was left of the united courts was to draw circles of warding around that place, trees grew with vines and ice interwoven between them. Powerful glamor, the last of the Light Court gave up her Light Glamor to achieve it, made it almost impossible for anyone to breach. The Shadow Court was gone, though not the destruction they wrought."

As Father finished speaking the entire room seemed gloomier, as if the Shadows were coming in just through his words. I thought about what he had said, and wondered why he had never mentioned many people we knew. So I asked, "Where were Mother and Goodfellow when all this was happening?"

The all glanced at each other until Puck said, "I wasn't there. I didn't know it was going on until the entire realm had been put under quarantine. I had been in a meeting of a..different people."

"Then where were you Mother?"

She smiled sadly as she spoke, "Your father did mention me in passing, but it was my sister who really held most attention," she must have seen the confused look on my face for she said, "My sister was Bellatrix, I am the last of the Light Fey."


	6. Chapter 5

**I know I have no reason to have taken so long to update so I'm sorry. I wanted to get something up soon so I apologize for the length. Hope you enjoy.**

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Chapter 5

"But, Father said she, you, gave up your Glamor, and you're one of the most powerful Summer Fey there is. Once again Summer, not Light," I said exasperatedly. The others just looked at each other, obviously bemused by something.

Mother looked me and smiled sadly, "You're father saved me child. I was dying giving my Glamor and life to keep the Shadows from rising, both then and in the future. He took me into the Summer Court and gave me a small piece of his own Glamor, allowing me to live, but it also tied my life force to the Wall, if I die, so does the Wall, though I might be able to cut my life force from it should it fall, I'm not certain, but I would rather not find out."

It was all beginning to make sense and come together, but for one thing. "Goodfellow, if Mum had Light Glamor, and neither had Shadow, how did I end up with any?"

"Erm, it's complicated, see you were born precisely at Midnight, the most powerful time of Shadow, which overrode all their careful plans for the..."

"The what?" I asked innocently?

"Shush, and listen to your parent's," was his only reply. I could tell from his tone, sharp, and not in the mood for questions, that that was his final answer. I refocused in on Father, who was wearing a slightly bemused grin, or what would have been a grin on a normal person, for him bemused scowl was more accurate. He could always tell when we talking.

"Do I want to know what you two were talking about?" he asked.

"Probably, but I doubt you'll find out." Puck said with a grin. I was about to retort when a commotion sounded outside. We all ran to the balcony and looked out. An entourage proceed from the depths of the Never Never, I looked at Father and he nodded.

"The Unseelie Court has arrived.


End file.
